children of the whirlwind-第25节

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ly　boasted　to　him。　It　was　indeed　something　big；　as　she　had　said；　that　establishment　at　the　Grantham　was　proof　of　this。　Larry　could　now　perceive　the　adventure's　general　outlines。　There　was　nothing　original　in　what　he　perceived；　and　the　plan；　so　far　as　he　could　see　it；　would　not　have　interested　him　in　the　least　as　a　novel　creation　of　the　brain　were　not　Maggie　its　central　figure；　and　were　not　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　her　directing　agents。　A　pretty　woman　was　being　used　as　a　lure　to　some　rich　man；　and　his　infatuation　for　her　was　to　cause　him　to　part　with　a　great　deal　of　money：　some　variation　of　this　ancient　idea；　which　has　a　thousand　variationsthat　was　the　plan。

Obviously　the　enterprise　was　not　directed　at　some　gross　victim　whose　palate　might　permit　his　swallowing　anything。　If　any　one　item　essentially　proved　this；　it　was　the　item　of　the　overwhelmingly　respectable　chaperon。　Maggie　was　being　presented　as　an　innocent；　respectable；　young　girl；　and　the　victim；　whoever　he　was；　was　the　type　of　man　for　whom　only　such　a　type　of　girl　would　have　a　compelling　appeal。

And　this　manwho　was　he？　Ever　and　again　he　tried　to　place　the　man's　voice；　with　its　faintly　familiar　quality；　but　it　kept　dodging　away　like　a　dream　one　cannot　quite　recall。

The　whole　business　made　Larry　rage　within　himself。　Maggie　to　be　used　in　such　a　way！　He　did　not　blame　Maggie；　for　he　understood　her。　Also　he　loved　her。　She　was　young；　proud；　willful；　had　been　trained　to　regard　such　adventures　as　colorful　and　legitimate；　and　had　not　lived　long　enough　for　experience　to　teach　her　otherwise。　No；　Maggie　was　not　to　blame。　But　Old　Jimmie！　He　would　like　to　twist　Old　Jimmie's　neck！　But　then　Old　Jimmie　was　Maggie's　father；　and　the　mere　fact　of　Old　Jimmie　being　Maggie's　father　would；　he　knew；　safeguard　the　old　man　from　his　wrath　even　were　he　at　liberty　to　go　forth　and　act。

He　cursed　his　enforced　seclusion。　If　only　he　were　free　to　go　out　and　do　his　best　in　the　open！　But　then；　even　if　he　were；　his　best　endeavors　would　have　little　influence　upon　Maggiewith　her　despising　and　distrusting　him　as　she　did；　and　with　her　so　determined　to　go　ahead　in　her　own　way。

Once　during　the　morning；　he　slipped　from　the　library　into　his　room　and　gazed　at　the　portrait　of　Maggie　that　Hunt　had　given　him　the　night　before：　Maggie；　self…confident；　willful；　a　beautiful　nobody　who　was　staring　the　world　out　of　countenance；　a　Maggie　that　was　a　thousand　possible　Maggies。　And　as　he　gazed　he　thought　of　the　wager　he　had　made　with　Hunt；　and　of　his　own　rather　scatter…brained　plannings　concerning　it。　He　removed　Maggie's　portrait　from　the　fellowship　of　the　picture　of　the　Italian　mother；　and　hid　it　in　his　chiffonier。　Whatever　he　might　do　in　his　endeavor　to　make　good　his　boast　to　Hunt；　for　the　present　he　would　regard　Maggie's　portrait　as　his　private　property。　To　use　the　painting　as　he　had　vaguely　planned；　before　he　had　been　surprised　to　find　it　Maggie's　portrait；　would　be　to　pass　it　on　into　other　possession　where　it　might　become　publicwhere；　through　some　chance；　the　Maggie　of　the　working…girl's　cheap　shirt…waist　might　be　identified　with　the　rich　Miss　Cameron　of　the　Grantham；　to　Maggie's　great　discomfiture；　and　possibly　to　her　entanglement　with　the　police。

When　Miss　Sherwood　came　into　the　library　a　little　later；　Larry　tried　to　put　Maggie　and　all　matters　pertaining　to　his　previous　night's　adventure　out　of　his　mind。　He　had　enough　other　affairs　which　he　was　trying　adroitly　to　handlefor　instance；　Miss　Sherwood　and　Hunt；　and　when　his　business　talk　with　her　was　ended；　he　remarked：

〃I　saw　Mr。　Hunt　last　evening。〃

He　watched　her　closely；　but　he　could　detect　no　flash　of　interest　at　Hunt's　name。

〃You　went　down　to　your　grandmother's？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃That　was　a　very　great　risk　for　you　to　take；〃　she　reproved　him。　〃I'm　glad　you　got　back　safely。〃

Despite　the　disturbance　Maggie　had　been　to　his　thoughts；　part　of　his　brain　had　been　trying　to　make　plans　to　forward　this　other　aim；　so　he　now　told　Miss　Sherwood　of　his　wager　with　Hunt　and　his　bringing　away　a　picturehe　said　〃one　picture。〃　He　wanted　to　awaken　the　suppressed　interest　each　had　in　the　other；　to　help　bridge　or　close　the　chasm　which　he　sensed　had　opened　between　them。　So　he　brought　the　picture　of　the　Italian　mother　from　his　room。　She　regarded　it　critically；　but　with　no　sign　of　approval　or　disapproval。

〃What　do　you　think　of　it？〃　she　asked。

〃It's　a　most　remarkable　piece　of　work！〃　he　said　emphaticallywishing　he　could　bring　in　that　picture　of　Maggie　as　additional　evidence　supporting　his　opinion。

She　made　no　further　comment；　and　it　was　up　to　Larry　to　keep　the　conversation　alive。　〃What　is　the　most　Mr。　Hunt　ever　was　paid　for　a　painting？　I　mean　one　of　what　he　swears　at　as　his　‘pretty　pictures'？〃

〃I　believe　about　two　thousand　dollars。〃

That　was　part　of　the　information　necessary　to　Larry's　plan。

〃Miss　Sherwood；　I'm　going　to　ask　another　favor　of　you。　In　connection　with　a　bet　I　made　with　Mr。　Hunt。　I　want　to　talk　with　a　picture　dealerthe　best　one　there　is。　I　can't　very　well　go　to　him。　Can　you　manage　to　have　him　come　here？〃

〃Easily。　I　know　the　man　best　for　your　purpose。　I'll　telephone；　and　if　he's　in　New　York　he'll　come　to　see　you　this　afternoon。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

She　started　out；　then　turned。　〃Better　finish　your　business　with　him　to…day　if　you　can。　We　go　to　the　country　to…morrow　or　the　day　after。　I've　just　had　word　that　the　workmen　are　finally　out　of　the　house；　though　the　grounds；　of　course；　are　in　bad　shape；　and　will　probably　remain　so。　With　this　labor　situation；　it's　practically　impossible　to　get　men。〃

Larry　remembered　something　else。　〃Miss　Sherwood；　you　recall　my　once　speaking　about　a　man　I　got　to　be　friends　with　in　prisonJoe　Ellison？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I've　written　him；　under　an　assumed　name；　of　course；　and　have　had　an　answer。　He'll　be　out　in　a　very　few　days　now。　He's　through　with　his　old　ways。　I　know　he'd　like　nothing　better　than　a　quiet　place　to　work；　off　to　himself　somewhere。　I'm　sure　you　can　trust　him。〃

〃We'll　arrange　to　have　him　come　out　to　Cedar　Crest。　Oh；　don't　think　I'm　being　generous　or　sentimental；〃　she　interrupted　smilingly　as　he　started　to　thank　her。　〃I'd　be　glad　to　put　two　or　three　more　ex…convicts　to　work　on　our　place　if　I　could　get　them。　And　so　would　my　friends；　they　can't　get　workmen　of　any　kind。〃

That　afternoon　the　picture　dealer　came。　Miss　Sherwood　introduced　Larry　to　him　as　Mr。　Brandon；　her　cousin；　and　then　left　the　two　men　together。　Larry　appraised　Mr。　Graham　as　a　shrewd　man　who　knew　his　business　and　who　would　like　to　score　a　triumph　in　his　own　particular　field。　He　decided　that　the　dealer　had　to　be　handled　with　a　great　deal　of　frankness；　and　with　some　stiff　bluffing　which　must　appear　equally　frank。　The　secret　of　Larry's　earlier　success　had　been　to　establish　confidence　and　even　enthusiasm　in　something　which　had　little　or　no　value。　In　selling　an　honest　thing　at　an　honest　price；　the　first　and　fundamental　procedure　was　the　same；　to　establish　confidence　and；　if　possible；　enthusiasm。

From　the　moment　of　introduction　Larry　quietly　assumed　the　manner　of　an　art　collector　who　was　very　sure　of　himself；　which　manner　was　abetted　by　the　setting　of　the　Sherwood　library。　He　felt　something　of　the　old　zest　when　wits　had　been　matched　against　wits；　even　though　this　was　to　be　a　strictly　honorable　enterprise。

〃You　know　the　work　of　Mr。　Jerome　Hunt？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　handled　practically　all　his　work　since　he　began　to　sell；〃　replied　Mr。　Graham。

〃I　was　referring　to　work　in　his　recent　manner。〃

〃He　has　not　been　doing　any　work　recently；〃　corrected　Mr。　Graham。

〃No？〃　Larry　picked　up　the　Italian　mother　which　for　this　occasion　he　had　mounted　with　thumb…tacks　upon　a　drawing…board；　and　stood　it　upon　a　chair　in　the　most　advantageous　light。　〃There　is　a　little　thing　in　Mr。　Hunt's　recent　manner　which　I　lately　purchased。〃

Mr。　Graham　regarded　the　painting　long　and　critically。

Finally　he　remarked：

〃At　least　it　is　different。〃

〃Different　and　better；〃　said　Larry　with　his　quiet　positiveness。　〃So　much　better　that　I　paid　him　three　thousand　dollars　for　it。〃

〃Three　thousand！〃　The　dealer　regarded　Larry　sharply。　〃Three　thousand　for　that？〃

〃Yes。　And　I　consider　that　I　got　a　bargain。〃

Mr。　Graham　was　silent　for　several　moments。　Then　he　said　〃For　what　reason　have　I　been　asked　here？〃

〃I　want　you　to　undertake　to　sell　this　picture。〃

〃For　how　much？〃

〃Five　thousand　dollars。〃

〃Five　thousand　dollars！〃

〃It　is　easily　worth　five　thousand；〃　Larry　said　quietly。

〃If　you　value　it　so　highly；　why　do　you　want　to　sell？〃

〃I　am　pressed　by　the　present　money　shortage。　Also　I　secured　a　second　picture　when　I　got　this　one。　That　second　picture　I　shall　not　sell。　You　should　have　no　difficulty　in　selling　this；〃　Larry　continued；　〃if　you　handle　the　matter　right。　Think　of　how　people　have　started　again　to　talk　about　Gaugin：　about　his　starting　to　paint　in　a　new　manner　down　there　in　the　Marquesas　Islands；　of　his　trading　a　picture　for　a　stick　of　furniture　or　selling　it　for　a　few　hundred　francswhich　same　paintings　are　now　each　worth　a　small　fortune。　Capitalize　this　Gaugin　talk；　also　the　talk　about　poor　mad　Blakeslie。　You've　got　a　new　sensation。　One　all　your　own。〃

〃You　can't　start　a　sensation　with　one　painting；〃　Mr。　Graham　remarked　dryly。

This　had　been　the　very　remark　Larry　h